Into the Cradle
by ThistleL
Summary: Series of one shots. A bunch of different POVs that explain how each character is influenced by the birth of the baby and the coming home.
1. Ricky

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Disclaimer: If I owned things, things would be vastly different, so no owny. :P And this is only a writer's excrise for me, so it is ub beta'ed. I would never bother my beta with this either. I will only update this when the mood strikes. :) Just needed this off my chest. Based off something my dad's best friend told me at my da's wedding. Oh! And those who are looking for my other fandom updates, look at my profile please. :)

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In the Cradle

Chapter One: Ricky

Ricky was not sure who had called the school, be he was grateful. Of course, Amy would never let him into the delivery room; however, her family had forced her to allow him to be there afterwards. It had made him smug, knowing that he was here and Ben would never be. Amy had forbidden it, but she could not forbid Ricky. She never could.

So, he went to the desk where he smile sweetly at the nurse, who gave him directions and then he saw the hall where her family was conjugated. Her mom, dad and sister where looked up from their curious views into a window.

Behind the glass, just in that room, in the bassinet closest to the blocky, silver door laid his wrinkly and red son. Honestly, the baby was a little ugly right now. George, taking pity on him apparently, told him all children were that ugly when they were born the old fashioned way. Ricky snorted at the idea, but it did have merit, so he could not deny it.

The baby was breathing deeply, his head turned to the right. He had a black carpet of hair. Scrunched eyes. Red skin. Long fingers. He looked like a _baby_. A human, breathing, _living_ baby.

"Hey, kid, do you want to see the baby?" George asked Ricky, motioning to the approaching nurse.

He hesitated, and then walked towards her too. She lead him to a room to wash his hands with a smile, and also forced him to put on a blue paper gown. When he asked, she said it was to keep the babies away from diseases like the flu or staph. He briefly wondered who would be so evil as to get a baby sick before he remembered. Maybe a heartless bastard like his father.

And then he was handed his son.

He weighed like nothing. Ricky was surprised again; Amy had gotten big for such a tiny guy. His nameless, newborn son laid in his arms easily. The baby was delicate, and for a moment he had the wild idea that if he was not careful, he would crush the life out of his perfect son. So fragile. How did babies ever survive? They were just so tiny, and it seemed even a mite of dust would be capable of hurting his son.

His.

Something in Ricky broke. Like rushing rapids, the tears drowned his view of his baby boy. This life would depend on him. He would depend on Ricky: to feed him, to teach him, to love him, to protect him, _to be there _for him. Tears dotted his baby boy's clothing.

Ricky was a man now. He would prove it to everyone – Amy, George, Adrian, Grace – everyone. This precious gift he had stumbled upon would save him.

This was his life now – his son.


	2. George

Disclaimer: Still don't own. Sadly. XD

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Into the Craddle

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Chapter Two: George

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This scene was familiar. Waiting outside two double doors, wringing his hands and surrounded by the same smells and sights as before. The chairs at this hospital looked exactly the same as the ones where Amy had been born. Purple with green lime stripes. And as uncomfortable as hell too.

This scene was familiar. The smells made his stomach churn. George had to firmly tell himself that the smell did not strictly mean death and sickness. _Or so it seems, _his mind supplied him. The smell of his sweat was sharp and sour. His stress of possible losing his daughter and grandson made him twice as anxious.

This scene was familiar. "Mom" was coming out of those doors with her eyes smiling tears. Anne reminded his so much of Mimsy as she excitedly shared the news about a healthy baby boy and a proud but tired Amy. The excitement and relief he felt were the same he felt when Amy had been born. And then panic sets in. As a father, he would be expected to raise this child, and then he remembers Ricky. So, he does the right thing because even though the scene is nerve racking, a father deserves to be here.

This scene was familiar. George remembered being terrified of holding Amy, and he knew Ricky was too. Boys and men did not have the ingrained ability like women to be gentle and know how to handle babies; George understood this other man's fear. Because he had been there twice before and now a third time. And the raw tears he could understand, so when Ashley opened her mouth to make a snide remark he snapped at her. He saw her hurt look and Anne's surprised look, but George said nothing. They would not be able to understand.

This scene was familiar. It is the birth of a man. It is the beginnings of a family. This was his family too, but now it had two more members than it did a few hours ago. Because when a man becomes a father, he would not just let his child leave him, especially after he makes the promise he knew Ricky was making to himself. George had been there twice. Once he became a man, and the other time he had become a father.

This scene was familiar. The baby's blue eyes stared at him. Through him. So much like his mother already. George wondered if it was possible to love some many people so powerfully. Because he did.

And then he smiled.

A grandson!


	3. Amy

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Into the Cradle

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Chapter Three: Amy

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When he was gone, she felt empty. _That_ is how Amy would explain sex with Ricky. It had been personal, and no one else needed to know the private details. She had already been ashamed by her actions that lead to _the_ sex, and she did not want to cause trouble with Ben, but that was exactly how she would describe it.

And now she felt that same emptiness. Her son had lived in her for nine months, and now he was gone. She felt incredible lonely now like she had done the one thing she was destined to do and now she had nothing else left. He would love someone more than her, she just knew it. Especially if she gave him up.

Amy wondered if the birth of her son was supposed to hurt this much. She felt like he was really gone now. When the nurse had let her see him and hold him, she had been awed. He had felt so perfect on her chest. This was her baby! How could she just give him up for adoption now that she knew he had ten perfect toes, ten little fingers, black hair and made the most adorable hiccuping sound?

Dismayed by her tears, Amy started to cry her hardest. Things were supposed to get easier! Not harder! Her sobs started to make her shake, and she realized with detachment the nurse from before was trying to calm her down. How was she supposed to stop loving him? He was her flesh and blood! She could not just abandon him! Pretend he never existed!

She just refused to do it.

Her cries could not be silenced. She would not let him go! She spent the past nine months being his everything and him being her everything...Ben would not mind. For half a desperate moment, she believed she could convince him to be there for her and the baby and they would love each other and everything would be okay.

Except Ben did not want her or her baby.

And then Amy did not care either. He was her baby. She refused to give him up because of some teenage boy! This baby would love her know matter her faults, and she would give him unconditional love too.

She was a mother. A mommy.

Her precious baby boy was finally safe in the world and there was not a place she would rather he be except for in her arms being raised by her. She wanted to be the one to kiss owies and tears away. She wanted to laugh along with him as he showed her something new. She wanted this baby.

Calming down, she asked, "Can I see him again?"

And when a few hours later she had him back, she whispered, "I love you little one" and "I'm your mom, Amy".


	4. Anne

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Into the Cradle

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Chapter Four: Anne

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The baby was staying in Amy's room.

Amy had worked ten hours a week for $5.50 an hour since she had gotten her job. Her daughter, Anne remembered fondly, had been excited to pick out the purple bassinet amidst Ricky's and Ben's protests. She remembered they way she had laughed, like bells. She had not laughed like that for such a long time...

Anne's grandson was a handful. All babies were to be honest. Anne can still remember the routine she used with Amy and Ashley and even with her mother's help she had been tired every hour of every day. But this baby had Amy, Ashley, Ricky, Ben, Lauren and Madison to take care of him through the spit up, sponge baths, breast feeding, diaper changes (she still remembered the fear in her daughter's voice when she cleaned the tin foil) and general watching.

Everything was time consuming. Anne was disappointed, but not surprised when Lauren and Madison stopped visiting. She comforted Amy with ice cream. When Ben stopped coming, she had held her daughter as her shaking and sobbing lasted for many hours. But she had not only been disappointed, she had been surprised too. Ricky always came.

Anne's grandson was happy. She was grateful for that much at least. The baby did not cry very much or make too much of a fuss. He loved listening to his mom playing her instrument. He loved playing with Amy's long brown hair. He loved when his father spoke to him. He was an easy child, And Anne was glad for Amy's sake too. He was precious when he was not crying.

Anne's grandson was cute. The carpet of black hair had thickened the past three weeks, and his eyes seemed to be staying crystal blue. No surprise really, she thought, his father has gorgeous blue eyes. The red in his skin had calmed, now it was smooth like soy milk. A perfect combination between Amy and Ricky. She wondered what this baby would be like....

Would he be musical too? Like his parents?

How many bones would he break?

Would he call her grandma or grandmama or grandma Anne?

Would he be smart and excel at school?

Wold he be a heart breaker?

A dare devil?

Anne's grandson was the future. A future that held hardships, but beauty. A future that held love, but heartbreaks. A future that held smiles, but tears. A future that Anne knew Amy would have to fight for and against (she had to fight for her's and her girls' futures too). A future that Anne had always thought was worth it; a future Amy would think is worth it.


	5. Ben

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Into the Cradle

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Chapter Five: Ben

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He was guilty.

(might as well be convicted)

Ben was wracked with it. He had left her. The baby had been at her house for two weeks when he realized something. An epiphany. Ricky was always there. He was there in the morning before school and he was there after school and he was there at night and he was there during the weekends. _Always_.

Ben had snapped.

(burning)

Seeing that guy around his Amy, not able to stop him, it had snapped him. Snapped him like a dry twig in Califorina. The snap had started an inferno in him. The acid in his stomach boiled. His flesh was hot. All he saw was red. He could not even see the love he once had for Amy. Just red.

(the queen of hearts had worn red too in alice in wonderland)

Ben hated.

He hated the baby because it was Ricky. He looked at it – the monster – and saw only Ricky. Ricky with that insufferable smirk. The good looks. The smooth voice. The blue eyes. The cheek bones. He hated the guy so much that it blurred Amy's baby.

(all he saw was the red now)

Amy loved wearing red. She said it made her warm. He hated her too. She had let Ricky touch her, love her.

(snow white what a joke)

He was smothering.

Ben left before he could hurt anyone. He knew she cried, but the tears never put out the red fires in his red heart.

(he was a shame)

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My reasoning: It's not that I don't like Ben ( I really do), it's just he strikes me as young and naive. He's not in touch with the real world. Besides, teenagers have angst in the bucket loads. So, some angst. :)


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